Ist Ist, Architecture. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10

As a species we cannot but help be influenced by the times we live in, and by the feeling of doubt that creeps into the minds of those who see the future as one of understanding that we are only ever one step away from self-annihilation, of placing ourselves in the hands of the dystopian regime, always fretful that the blessing that is utopia is but a mirage, a paradise to be striven for but always kept out of reach for the fear of what the image of perfection would do to our minds.

Ist Ist, Architecture. Album Review. full post

(384 words, estimated 1:32 mins reading time)

Minnie Birch, You’re Not Singing Anymore. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Every person finds the church that carries their own belief, that teaches them the right lessons for them about humanity, of suffering, agony, pain, and the beauty of relentless hope. Not every church comes with a spire, not every place of worship has a priest, a rabbi or swami in attendance and yet there is always the one overwhelming feature that binds them all, that of the choir, the crowd in full voice singing songs passed down through the generations, the gathering raising their voices on high in praise, and quite often detriment, to those that a higher power has called to the alter of idolatry.

Minnie Birch, You’re Not Singing Anymore. Album Review. full post

(593 words, estimated 2:22 mins reading time)

Bad Touch, Kiss The Sky. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

Reach for the stars every opportunity you get, to even escape the confines of the tether that binds us, the rope that tightens so keep us from chasing a dream, a vision, is not only what makes us human but give us the power to change, if not the world, then at least our own destiny, and if we are denied the chance to sample the sight of the stars close up, then at least we are able to Kiss The Sky and leave our lips as a lasting impression on that which separates us from the rest of the Universe.

Bad Touch, Kiss The Sky. Album Review. full post

(450 words, estimated 1:48 mins reading time)

Tawny Ellis, Love Life. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10

There was a time when discussing your more intimate details was reserved for the tabloid press and to further the rumour mill in your home town, to sow the seeds of jealousy, to take the pressure off the mind as you deal with how your Love Life is perceived. Now love is everywhere, it is not just all around, you can’t escape it, however, a carefree and over discussed love life is not the same as being committed, as bringing both sensuality and freedom to another’s soul, it is this naked, exposed and truth laid bare that makes Tawny Ellis’ new album one of beauty and the raw relationship that keeps the listener entranced.

Tawny Ellis, Love Life. Album Review. full post

(406 words, estimated 1:37 mins reading time)

Dougie Burns, Martha. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10

For the vast majority of us, we owe a sizeable debt to the one we call our Mum, be it the one who dealt the hand that saw us come into existence, or the one that protected us from the evil that threatens to engulf us, the monsters in the cupboard and the terrors under the bed, the mother we call be name is the one we invariably dedicate songs to, a line of poetry when inspiration calls, or to the remembrance of art…. no matter the name, the mother is the one who can be seen to nurture the art within us.

Dougie Burns, Martha. Album Review. full post

(408 words, estimated 1:38 mins reading time)

Albert Castiglia, Wild And Free. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *

For the most part, the idea of freedom is a fantasy, an illusion to which we cling to in the hope that our faces don’t betray our souls, that we can be spirited, up to a point, but the powers that be will never let us truly off the leash, will never allow or permit the ordinary person to be wild, to see the world as a true home rather than what has been staged for us, a place where can be absolutely Wild And Free.

Albert Castiglia, Wild And Free. Album Review. full post

(445 words, estimated 1:47 mins reading time)

The Strokes, The New Abnormal. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

Never mind the appearance of normal, all that is a by-product, a consequence of the way our lives have been manipulated to the point of arrogance and over-confident pride; normal is just fitting in, the mask worn with conceit to hide the quirk and the reason that makes us individuals with a soul that dances to both its own tune, and in compassionate step around others.

The Strokes, The New Abnormal. Album Review. full post

(381 words, estimated 1:31 mins reading time)

Tom Fairnie, Lightning In The Dark. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10

Imagine driving along a secluded, unlit and gloomy road, your headlights picking out the shadows of the hedges, of the trees that line the route like still soldiers on parade, then from out of nowhere, the Lightning In The Dark that illuminates more than you could ever witness when you are driving along in the sunshine, a snapshot that sparks life in your mind, and one that stays with you forever.

Tom Fairnie, Lightning In The Dark. Album Review. full post

(407 words, estimated 1:38 mins reading time)

Van Der Valk: Death In Amsterdam. Television Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 7/10

Cast: Marc Warren, Maimie McCoy, Luke Allen-Gale, Elliot Barnes-Worrell, Darrell D’Silva, Emma Fielding, Christine Cole, Tom York, Saman Amini, Claire Bender, Marieke Heebink, Maarten Heijmans, Britte Lagcher, Mike Libanon, Tom Mothersdale, Shaniqua Okwok, Sander Plukaard, Arthur Roffelson, Peter van Heeringen, Wendy Vrijenhoek, Jennifer Welts, Bram Blankestijn, Joop Kasteel, Christian Petersson, Fruzina Nagy, Frieda Barnhard.  

Van Der Valk: Death In Amsterdam. Television Review. full post

(562 words, estimated 2:15 mins reading time)

It’s Karma It’s Cool, Woke Up In Hollywood. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

Society has become consumed with the idea of instant fame, that the dream is not just to find yourself being on the road to success, fortune and a million likes on social media, the people hanging on your every word and reaction, but to be instantly immersed in that world from the next morning, a pact made with Morpheus as you close your eyes that you will arise the next morning and be able to phone all you know that you Woke Up In Hollywood.

It’s Karma It’s Cool, Woke Up In Hollywood. Album Review. full post

(451 words, estimated 1:48 mins reading time)